Ásbyrgi

From Vesterdalur to Ásbyrgi, a giant horseshoe-shaped canyon. It is 3.5 kilometres deep and 1.1 kilometres wide and there is a large rock formation at its entrance called Eyjan (or the Island). It was formed when Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir briefly touched down with one of its hooves, though there don’t appear to be any actual eyewitness accounts of this on the web.

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It is not far from Vesterdalur and still in Jökulsárgljúfur National Park.

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Here’s looking up one of the cliffs, which are one hundred metres high.

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The canyon was once on the path of the river, which is now a few miles to the east. It is said to have been formed in a couple of catastrophic events since the last ice age when a large lake built up behind glacial walls, the walls were breached and a sudden and dramatic flash flood of unimaginable proportions ensued.

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Ásbyrgi Canyon is also said to be the capital of the huldufólk or hidden folk or elves, living in the cliffs in wonderful buildings. But only some can see them.

It is said that a young couple were living in separate farms, one in the canyon and one just outside, but social rank prevented their union. One of the huldufólk told them her lover had been taken by a creature living in the cliffs and turned into a beast that lived in the pond. The beast would surface only when the midnight sun played over the cliff face. On the elf’s instruction they threw some of their most treasured possessions into the mouth of the beast when it surfaces which broke the spell. The elf then made sure the young couple could marry.

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Botnstjörn Lake is at the foot of the cliffs at the apex of the canyon, which makes it very protected and still, thus providing great reflections.

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Green-winged Teal (female). (Click for larger view).

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Green-winged Teal.

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Greeen-winged Teal

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Ring-necked duck (female).

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According to the date/time stamp on the image, this is about a third of the way from Ásbyrgi to Husavik but I can’t be more specific than that. You’d probably have to click on the image to see it larger but there is a house in the distance at the top left which must have a magnificent view indeed.